


When he softly said mercy

by doctor0me



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Kylo Ren has a heart, M/M, Post-Canon, Punishment, Snoke Being a Dick, Torture, mention of past self harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-13 00:03:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7954237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctor0me/pseuds/doctor0me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's one thing to kill a man, it's another thing entirely to see them fall apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When he softly said mercy

Kylo Ren was standing in the dark room, feeling the chillness of his surroundings. His side was still aching from the bow-castor wound, which just had the time to heal on the way to Snoke's base. His face and shoulder were even worse, as he couldn't breathe without feeling the stretching in the wound. Snoke had decided that the wounds and humiliation he had suffered was enough of a punishment for him, which Kylo was grateful for. Especially now, as he was watching the punishment General Hux was suffering. The otherwise proud General was laying on the floor in front of the supreme leader convulsing in pain, as Snoke used the force to punish him both mentally and physically. Kylo had never had any particular liking towards the man - not that he hated him, he just didn't believe he was significant enough. He was just one dust particle in the universe - completely replaceable even in the first order itself. Also Kylo wasn't even sure the man had any human qualities like... Emotions. As far as Kylo knew the general could just as well be a droid. Still, watching the man who had just saved his life - even played a big part in the healing of his wounds - in that much pain, did make his stomach turn.

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Fire. Red. Pain. It was never ending. Washing over him in waves, one bigger than the other. His body felt like it was on fire, and his head felt like it was imploding. Someone was screaming - was it him? He wasn't sure. He wanted so badly to pass out, but it didn't happen. He was going to die, Hux was sure of it. It didn't matter - he didn't matter, he just wanted it to be over soon, just...

"I think he has learned his lesson", said a voice, an echo filling the room.

The pain ebbed a little, enough for Hux to realize that it really was him screaming and he managed to stop. His ragged breath was the only sound in the room until Snoke spoke.

"And why is that?", he sounded bored.

Kylo took a step forward.

"The general is still needed. He is the mind behind Starkiller and the only person who knows its design. This is still useful information. The first order trusts him, and he is our link to the whole organization as it is. He deserves punishment, but it will be no use breaking him"

Another silence followed, but Hux felt the force tendrils let go of him, and he took a deep breath, relieved.

"Very well, but he is your responsibility then. Keep him on a short leach."

Kylo nodded, as Snoke left the room.

Kylo had saved him. He had even called him useful. Hux couldn't seem to be able to wrap his mind around it. He had always believed the knight hated him - the only feeling he could recognize and he was more than willing to return the same feelings towards the knight. Had he been wrong? Hux wasn't good at emotions, always showing the emotions people were expecting him to in the given situation. He was good at mirroring, and it was one of the things that had helped him rise to the rank he was currently holding. He didn't know how he was going to show how grateful he was to Kylo. Right now, he didn't even know how he was going to get to his room, but he knew he wanted to - he wanted Kylo to know he was grateful and he was willing to do anything for the knight, because he cared - no one had ever cared about Hux before. He felt arms under his knees, and supporting his back, and suddenly he was floating, his head resting of what must be Kylo's chest. He sighed, resting his hand on Kylo’s shoulder. 

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Kylo didn’t know what he should have done with the heaving, shaking mess on the cold stone floor, as Snoke had left the room, and had resonated that the best way of getting the general to a bed, was to carry the man. He had tried to be as gentle as possible, as he lifted him, and was shocked when Hux had leaned into him. The man was making small noises, as Kylo was carrying him towards his quarters, as he didn’t have the code to Hux’s. In the beginning he thought it pained noises, but realized halfway to his room that is was words. Hux was repeating the same words over and over again, his breath hot against the thin fabric of Kylo’s tunic. 

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, thank you…”, was repeated, and Kylo’s heart did a funny thing, when he made out the words. 

Hux shouldn’t thank him, really. He had stopped the punishment, for his own benefit, as he knew that the calling from the light – and the pain that followed that – would be even stronger, if he had watched the person who had tended his wounds die right in front of him. He hadn’t even reacted right away, but had watched Hux’s punishment for what must have been three hours, before stepping in. And still, Hux was thanking him. It would have been pathetic if it wasn’t so sad.  


He punched in the code as best as he could, while still holding on to Hux, and the door to his quarters opened with a hiss. He walked over to the bed, where he placed the general as gently as possible on the covers. Hux had his eyes closed, still murmuring the mantra of ‘thank-you’ as Kylo worked on getting his boots and outer layers of. Beneath them, Hux was surprisingly lithe; only dressed in his undershirt and pants. His skin was pale – even paler than Kylo’s, and it looked smooth, contrary to Kylo’s scarred skin. The only exception was Hux’s hands and the inside of his arms, which were scarred by wounds that were definitely self-inflicted. Some of the wounds weren’t even scarred, but still red and bleeding, especially in Hux’s palm, which was basically a mess of scars and wounds. Kylo ran his fingers over them, not knowing what to do with the information. The action made Hux clench his fist, catching Kylo’s hands in his. He was too marveled to pull his hand away, so instead he clenched Hux’s hand softly. The result was instant, as Hux stopped his mantra, and sighed, nuzzling deeper into the pillow. Well; now Kylo wasn’t to let go anymore, that much he was sure of. Instead he moved to lay beside Hux in the small bed, his right hand still holding Hux’s right, and his left supporting his own head as he was laying on his side. The light from the viewport in his room made Hux’s eyelashes shine, and his hair look more golden than red. Kylo was mesmerized by Hux who looked so human – so vulnerable. He had worked with the general for almost five years, and he didn’t know a thing about the man, other than his name and age which he had read in his file when he was first assigned to the Finalizer. Kylo wanted to change that. He wanted to get to know the man behind the uniform. He was going to protect this beautiful, broken creature, the best he could, and he was going to cherish him – as he obviously never had been cared for before. He smiled softly, as Hux leaned further towards him, turning so he could hold onto Kylo’s shirt, obviously still asleep, and just seeking the warmth. Yes, Kylo had a new mission.  
He was going to make Hux happy, even if that meant he had to destroy the galaxy to do so.


End file.
